Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for November 1, 2013:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Study finds a patchwork of genetic variation in the brain- Brain-inspired synaptic transistor learns while it computes
- Spinoff to introduce ultrasonic gesture recognition for small devices (w/ Video)
- Rising temperatures challenge Salt Lake City's water supply
- Designing an acoustic diode
- Gum disease treated by bringing needed immune cells to inflamed tissue
- A new model for organ repair: Kidney repair may not require stem cells
- Big US tech firms calls for reform on snooping
- Mindful individuals less affected by immediate rewards
- Review: LG tablet has phone alerts, multitasking
- Security researcher discovers badBIOS malware that jumps using microphone and speakers
- Children of lower socioeconomic status grow up more susceptible to catching colds, researchers find
- Self-healing hydrogels ease into production
- Contactless payment cards: Research highlights security concerns
- Sudden climate change varies from country to country
Space & Earth news
Trawling for memories and responses to extreme weather events
Snow storms, floods, droughts, heatwaves and hurricanes—all these can have a dramatic effect on our lives and generate a lot of different responses. Now a team of experts are hoping to piece together our responses to major weather events in the hope of understanding what works and what doesn't work in terms of adaptation.
One third of Australia's newspapers still biased on climate change
Australian print media outlets produce a substantial amount of journalism that is sceptical about evidence of human-induced climate change, despite very high levels of scientific certainty, according to a new report published by the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism (ACIJ) at UTS.
Developing better weather forecasts
By being more precise in what is uncertain, the weather forecasts will become more reliable. A new method for forecasting the weather is now being developed at Uni Research.
Vast Antarctic sanctuary plans fail
Plans to create two vast ocean sanctuaries in Antarctica to protect the pristine wilderness failed Friday for a third time with Russia and China blocking the bids, delegates at multi-nation talks said.
Major oyster reef rebuilding begins on Texas coast
One of the largest deep sea oyster reef restoration projects ever done in the Gulf of Mexico is underway off the Texas coast.
Slooh to broadcast live feeds of total solar eclipse from Kenya
SLOOH, the community observatory, is sending host and technical officer, Paul Cox, on a wild expedition to the remote countryside of Kenya to globally broadcast the great spectacle of a total solar eclipse, live on Slooh.com, on November 3rd starting at 3:45 AM PST , 6:45 AM EST , 11:45 UTC and ending at 7:15AM PST , 10:15 AM EST , 15:15 UTC. Cox will be accompanied by a team from the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC), and he will provide updates of his journey throughout the week on Slooh under a special section called Total Solar Eclipse Kenya. In addition to multiple feeds coming from Kenya, Slooh will have live feeds coming from Gabon, Africa and the Canary Islands, off the coast of West Africa. Viewers can watch live on their PC/MAC or by downloading the free Slooh iPad app in the iTunes store.
NASA begins airborne campaign to map greenland ice sheet summer melt
For the first time, a NASA airborne campaign will measure changes in the height of the Greenland Ice Sheet and surrounding Arctic sea ice produced by a single season of summer melt.
NASA satellite catches a wide-eyed Typhoon Krosa
Typhoon Krosa became wide-eyed in imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite as the storm moved past the Philippines and into the South China Sea. Krosa re-strengthened after it passed over the northern Philippines and its eye expanded by 10 nautical miles from the previous day.
Geoscientists building whole-Earth model for long-term climate clues
A Rice University-based team of geoscientists is going to great lengths—from Earth's core to its atmosphere—to get to the bottom of a long-standing mystery about the planet's climate.
Two satellites see new Eastern Pacific tropical depression form
The eighteenth tropical depression of the Eastern Pacific Ocean hurricane season formed early on the first day of November and is expected to become a tropical storm. NASA's TRMM satellite observed moderate rainfall in the storm and NOAA's GOES-West satellite captured a look at the cloud extent.
Sudden climate change varies from country to country
Different countries may have recovered faster than others as the last Ice Age ended, new research shows.
Trio takes Soyuz for spin around ISS
An international trio of astronauts on Thursday took a Soyuz space capsule on a rare trip around the International Space Station in preparation for the arrival of a new crew next week.
Galaxy growth examined like rings of a tree
(Phys.org) —Watching a tree grow might be more frustrating than waiting for a pot to boil, but luckily for biologists, there are tree rings. Beginning at a tree trunk's dense core and moving out to the soft bark, the passage of time is marked by concentric rings, revealing chapters of the tree's history.
Rising temperatures challenge Salt Lake City's water supply
In an example of the challenges water-strapped Western cities will face in a warming world, new research shows that every degree Fahrenheit of warming in the Salt Lake City region could mean a 1.8 to 6.5 percent drop in the annual flow of streams that provide water to the city.
Technology news
Community-integrated plants: The promise of a low carbon future
An EU project, which aims to promote low carbon manufacturing, has just released the results of a fact-finding study in communities surrounding four major industrial parks. The goal of the survey, which covered Spain, Denmark, Finland and England, was to examine the interaction between parks and their surroundings, and to identify the perceived benefits, concerns and challenges.
US woman questions ticket for wearing Google Glass
An early adopter of Google's Internet-connected eyeglasses may soon become a test pilot of a different sort.
UN resolution aims to protect right to privacy
Brazil and Germany, whose leaders have allegedly been targeted by U.S. eavesdropping, are asking the U.N. General Assembly to adopt a resolution calling on all countries to protect the right to privacy guaranteed under international law.
Shutdown slows—but doesn't halt—US car demand
The government shutdown dampened—but didn't stall—Americans' demand for new cars and trucks.
Retailers smarten up with smartphone shoppers
As consumers seek to outsmart their local retailers with their smartphones, the stores are fighting back on the same front.
China opposes release of WTO report on rare earths
China said Friday it opposes the release of a WTO report about its export curbs on rare earths—exotic minerals used in mobile phones and other high-tech products—following news accounts that the document rejects Beijing's policy as a trade violation.
'Survival of the fattest': Promising developments for oil production from algae
Algae are interesting candidates for the large-scale production of biodiesel. Researchers at TU Delft have developed a clever way of finding the fattest and therefore the most suitable examples among all the many species of algae. They will publish their discovery this week in the scientific journal Energy & Environmental Science.
Novel microfluidic material breakthrough for wafer-scale mass production of lab-on-chip
Imec, a world-leading nanoelectronics research center and JSR, a leading materials company, announce that they have successfully used JSR's innovative PA (Photo-patternable Adhesive) material for wafer-scale processing of lab-on-chip devices. With PA as a key enabling material, imec has processed microfluidic cell-sorter devices, merging microheaters and sensors with wafer-scale polymer microfluidics. PA is a breakthrough material: a good microfluidic channel material and adhesive at the same time, suitable for wafer-scale processes and mass production.
Snowden seeks the world's help against US charges
Edward Snowden is calling for international help to persuade the U.S. to drop its espionage charges against him, according to a letter a German lawmaker released Friday after he met the American in Moscow.
'Hackathon' aimed at helping migrants, research
Journalists, activists and technology enthusiasts in 20 U.S. and Latin American cities will brainstorm and code their way toward understanding migration patterns across the Western Hemisphere this weekend, the latest effort to use digital collaboration to rethink immigration's role in society.
In-flight phones: Others likely to follow FAA lead
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration says it is relaxing restrictions on the use of smartphones and other electronics inside flights by American carriers. Passengers are still barred from making calls or downloading data off a cellular network, but the OK on using laptops, consoles, e-readers, and other electronics at the beginning and end of each flight will come as a relief to many travelers. Here's a look at what may be in store for air travelers in the rest of the world.
Contactless payment cards: Research highlights security concerns
(Phys.org) —Warnings about the use of contactless payment cards and Near Field Communication (NFC) capable devices are raised in a study led by a team of researchers at the University of Surrey.
Engineers develop real-time, 3-D teleconferencing technology (w/ Video)
(Phys.org) —Nik Karpinsky quickly tapped out a few computer commands until Zeus, in all his bearded and statuesque glory, appeared in the middle of a holographic glass panel mounted to an office desk.
Kinect Sign Language Translator expands communication possibilities for the deaf
Worldwide, an estimated 360 million people are deaf or hard of hearing. Because the majority of hearing individuals do not understand sign language, people who are deaf often have difficulties interacting with the hearing. While other methods exist, researchers hope to make translation even easier with a cost-effective, efficient prototype that translates sign language into spoken language—and spoken language into sign language—in real time.
Security researcher discovers badBIOS malware that jumps using microphone and speakers
(Phys.org) —Highly respected Canadian security expert Dragos Ruiu has been fighting, he claims, an unknown bit of malware that that appears to run on Windows, Mac OS X, BSD and Linux, for approximately three years. After much research and effort, which he has been documenting using several online venues (mainly Twitter), he says he believes the malware infects computers via memory sticks, and vice versa. He says also that he's found evidence that the malware is able to create mini-networks between infected machines using high frequency sound waves that are passed from a computer's microphone to another's speakers, and vice-versa. Unfortunately, at this time, Ruiu is the only person that appears to know about the malware, which he has dubbed badBIOS.
Spinoff to introduce ultrasonic gesture recognition for small devices (w/ Video)
(Phys.org) —A group of research engineers at the University of California has been working on new technology to allow electronic devices to recognize hand gestures, similar to Microsoft's Kinect—with a major difference. Instead of using light, the new technology is based on sound waves. The group is currently forming a spinoff company to develop and market the technology, called Chirp Microsystems (the technology itself is called simply Chirp).
Big US tech firms calls for reform on snooping
Six of the biggest US technology firms are urging Congress to rein in the National Security Agency by requiring more transparency about surveillance and improved privacy protections.
Brain-inspired synaptic transistor learns while it computes
(Phys.org) —It doesn't take a Watson to realize that even the world's best supercomputers are staggeringly inefficient and energy-intensive machines.
Medicine & Health news
Court reinstates most Texas abortion restrictions
A U.S. appeals court on Thursday issued a ruling reinstating most of Texas' tough new abortion restrictions, which means as many as 12 clinics won't be able to perform the procedure starting as soon as Friday.
Suicide linked to partner violence for New Zealand women
New Zealand women who have experienced partner violence are more likely to contemplate suicide, according to New Zealand findings published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health last week.
Experts demand policy reform on young male domestic abuse
A new report published this week calls for the Government to support wholesale reform of how the authorities deal with young men who commit domestic abuse.
Results of the GIANT trial reported
According to a new study, genetic profiling of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may help cardiology teams adjust treatment and improve ischemic outcomes for patients that do not properly metabolize thienopyridine blood thinning therapies such as clopidogrel.
Changes in coroners' practice may be compromising quality of suicide statistics
Assessment of official suicide statistics found that between 1990 and 2005, the proportion of researcher-defined suicides given a verdict of suicide by the 12 coroners studied decreased by almost seven per cent, largely because of the increased use of misadventure/accident verdicts for deaths thought, on clinical review, to be suicides. Growth in the use of narrative verdicts by coroners may also have compromised assessment of small area differences in suicide rates. This is just one of the key findings from a report, published in the first issue of the new National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) journal Programme Grants for Applied Research, aimed at reducing premature mortality from suicide and non-fatal self-harm.
Researchers to apply facial skin regeneration technology for battlefield injuries
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) will develop new technologies to treat facial injuries as part of the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine (AFIRM) II, known collectively as the Warrior Restoration Consortium.
Percutaneous repair of valve leaks: A new treatment for patients at high risk of cardiac surgery
A Paravalvular regurgitation, or leakage, commonly affects valvular prostheses, particularly artificial valves placed percutaneously according to data presented at the 2013 Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) conference. Building on existing data, research cardiologist Paul Sorajja MD, of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation delivered a presentation on current percutaneous techniques that sheds light on the complexities of the treatment of paravalvular prosthetic regurgitation, or heart valve leakage. This research represents new advances for patients who have few or no surgical options
Results of the REPRISE II trial reported
In a clinical trial, a second-generation transcatheter aortic valve demonstrated low rates of complications that are sometimes seen in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), including challenges with positioning, post-procedure paravalvular aortic regurgitation, vascular complications, and stroke.
Results of the TATORT-NSTEMI trial presented
According to a new study, aspirating blood clots does not significantly reduce microvascular obstruction or reduce the risk of death in patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), when compared to standard percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) without thrombectomy.
Dysfunctional chemokine receptor promotes candidiasis
Candida albicans is one of the leading causes of hospital-acquired infections in immune compromised patients. The risk of both developing candidiasis and the clinical outcome of infection is variable among patients, and the host-dependent factors that contribute to patient susceptibility to C. albicans infection are poorly understood.
LSUHSC simulation or team training improves performance and patient safety
A study conducted by an inter-professional team of LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans faculty found that simulation-based operating room team training of medical and nursing students resulted in more effective teamwork by improving attitudes, behaviors, interaction and overall performance leading to potential increased patient safety and better clinical outcomes. The study is published online November 1, 2013, in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
New IOF review provides guidance on fracture prevention in cancer-associated bone disease
Cancer is a health burden of increasing importance which affects close to 13 million people globally. Bone is often affected in these patients, frequently because of bone metastases, or as a result of anti-cancer therapies which can contribute to bone loss and fragility.
Five preventively treated in France after rabid kitten found
Five people were given preventive treatment for rabies after coming into contact with a kitten that died of the disease, which is potentially deadly to humans, French authorities said Friday.
Doctors, vets explore shared medical problems (Update)
What do Siberian tigers and older women have in common?
A father and daughter's race to beat leukemia
(HealthDay)—Bruce Cleland has vivid memories of the day in 1986 when he learned that his daughter Georgia, then 2, had been diagnosed with the most common form of childhood leukemia.
Neuroimaging study sheds light on mechanisms of cognitive fatigue in MS
A new study by Kessler Foundation scientists sheds light on the mechanisms underlying cognitive fatigue in individuals with multiple sclerosis. Cognitive fatigue is fatigue resulting from mental work rather than from physical labor. Genova H et al: Examination of cognitive fatigue in multiple sclerosis using functional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging" was published on Nov. 1 in PlosOne. This is the first study to use neuroimaging to investigate aspects of cognitive fatigue. The study was funded by grants from the National MS Society and Kessler Foundation.
Important breakthrough in identifying effect of epilepsy treatment
50 years after valproate was first discovered, research published today in the journal Neurobiology of Disease, reports how the drug works to block seizure progression.
A 20 percent sugary drink tax would cut number of UK obese adults by 180,000
A 20% tax on sugar sweetened drinks would reduce the number of UK adults who are obese by 180,000 (1.3%) and who are overweight by 285,000 (0.9%), suggests a study published in BMJ today.
US preterm birth rate drops to 15-year low
Six states – Alaska, California, Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon and Vermont – earned an "A" on the March of Dimes 2013 Premature Birth Report Card as their preterm birth rates met the March of Dimes 9.6 percent goal. The US preterm birth rate improved to the lowest rate in 15 years, but the change wasn't enough to earn it a better grade. The nation again earned a "C" on the Report Card.
Memos show slow start for health care plans
The federal government's new health care program got off to such a slow start that only six people successfully enrolled on its website the first day and only a few hundred had done so by the second day, documents released by Congress late Thursday show.
Experimental drug shows encouraging results in treating most common form of lung cancer
An experimental cancer drug that has shown promise in the treatment of melanoma has also shown early potential as an effective treatment for patients with non-small cell lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death among men and women worldwide.
Role of pharmacists in GPs crucial
New research has shown a role for pharmacists within general practice (GP) clinics is a key solution to help prevent medication errors by patients and health professionals.
Many vets prescribed medication without diagnosis of mental illness
(Medical Xpress)—Three in 10 veterans prescribed psychotropic drugs do not have a diagnosis of a mental illness, a new Yale study shows.
Prostate cancer deaths fall by a fifth in the last 20 years
Death rates from prostate cancer have fallen by 20 per cent since the early 1990s according to new figures released by Cancer Research UK.
Study finds most early rehospitalization after kidney transplant caused by complexity of the condition, not poor quality
(Medical Xpress)—A study of over 750 kidney transplant patients over a five-year period conducted by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has found that 90 percent of early rehospitalizations (within 30 days of surgery) were caused by complex medical factors related to the transplantation process. Only nine percent of rehospitalizations – which occurred among only three percent of the entire group of patients – were categorized as potentially preventable.
Medical education is still worth the cost, study finds
(Medical Xpress)—In 2000, the soaring dot.com industry crashed. Seven years later, the housing boom ended abruptly. With tuition rates swelling, could the medical education market be the next bubble to burst?
Body mass may be more nurture than nature
(Medical Xpress)—The influence of genes on body mass index scores is substantially lower than previously thought, researchers at The University of Queensland have found.
Patients with heart failure need specialist care
(Medical Xpress)—New research from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden shows that patients with heart failure have high mortality and often are undertreated. According to a study, published in the scientific periodical JACC, many more of these patients would benefit from advanced treatment by heart specialists - something that could be decided by a simple evaluation of five common risk factors for early death due to heart failure.
Scientists examine the causes and treatment of addictive behaviour
(Medical Xpress)—Addiction comes in many forms: drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and gambling have been the types that traditionally plagued society.
Language difficulties can last a lifetime
People who suffer from language difficulties as children may continue to suffer from various emotional and behavioural problems as adults, according to new research by The University of Manchester.
Botox to treat 'suicide' headaches
"I hit myself in the head to distract myself from the pain when I have a cluster headache. The pain is indescribable hell, and in desperate moments, I have hit my head against a brick wall and hit myself in the head with a cell phone," says Hilde Vollan (34), a PhD candidate in bioinformatics at the University of Oslo.
Europeans do not consume enough vitamins and minerals
A study has analysed intake of 17 basic micronutrients in people's diets across eight European countries. The results reveal that, although vitamin D is the most extreme case, European citizens - across all age and sex ranges - do not consume sufficient iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B6 and folic acid.
Monster mash: Protein folding gone wrong
Imagine a 1950s horror movie monster—a creeping, gelatinous, gluey tangle of gunk that strangles everything around it. That's what amyloid plaques are like when they form in body tissues. These gooey protein clumps are associated with many chronic and debilitating disorders, including type 2 diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Huntington's.
Hospital volume linked to outcomes for aortic valve replacement in high-risk patients
(Medical Xpress)—High risk patients have better outcomes when undergoing aortic valve replacement at hospitals that perform high volumes of the procedure, according to a study in the November 2013 issue of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
Newly identified protein could be a cancer key
Scientists at the University of Dundee have identified a protein that could be key in the fight against cancer.
Banning workplace smoking not enough
Many workplaces ban smoking to reduce exposure to second-hand smoke and to encourage employees to quit smoking. However, the presence of another smoker at home may sabotage employers' efforts to get workers to quit, finds a new study in the American Journal of Health Promotion.
Home visits lessen emergency care for infants
Home visits from a nurse are a proven, but expensive, way to help newborns get a good start in life.
Germany offers third gender option, but advocates say not enough (Update)
Germany on Friday became the first European country to allow babies born with characteristics of both sexes to be registered as neither male nor female, but advocates urged further reforms.
Liver tropism is key for B cell deletion immunotherapy
Antibodies against the B cell surface protein CD20 have been used successfully to treat B cell-mediated autoimmune diseases and lymphomas. Antibody binding receptors, called Fc receptors, on other immune cells bind anti-CD20 on coated B cells, which induces B cell deletion through a mechanism that is not clearly understood.
Double-pronged attack could treat common children's cancer
A dual-pronged strategy using two experimental cancer drugs together could successfully treat a childhood cancer by inhibiting tumour growth and blocking off the escape routes it uses to become resistant to treatment, finds a new study.
Sugar intake is not directly related to liver disease
Despite current beliefs, sugar intake is not directly associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association. Rather, high-calorie diets promote the progression of this serious form of liver disease.
Nationwide disparities of deaths reported to coroners
A leading detective turned university researcher has discovered huge nationwide disparities in the numbers of deaths reported to coroners. It could mean that in some areas, inquests into unnaturaldeaths are not being conducted when they might have been deemed necessary elsewhere. Also, it has emerged that deaths of women are less likely to be reported and go to inquest. And when they do, they are less likely to result in a verdict of unnatural death.
Congenital blindness results in lower thermal pain thresholds
An international team of scientists investigated whether congenitally blind subjects experience pain differently than sighted individuals. Their results, published in the current issue of Pain, reveal compelling evidence that congenitally blind individuals are hypersensitive to pain caused by thermal stimuli.
FDA approves leukemia drug from Roche
The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug from Roche to help treat patients with a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow.
Fruit, veggie intake has no impact on insulin resistance
(HealthDay)—For individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease, increased consumption of fruits and vegetables has no impact on insulin resistance, according to a study published in the Oct. 15 issue of Diabetes Care.
Study finds aerobic exercise benefits memory in persons with multiple sclerosis
A research study headed by Victoria Leavitt, Ph.D. and James Sumowski, Ph.D., of Kessler Foundation, provides the first evidence for beneficial effects of aerobic exercise on brain and memory in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). The article, "Aerobic exercise increases hippocampal volume and improves memory in multiple sclerosis: Preliminary findings," was released as an epub ahead of print on October 4 by Neurocase: The Neural Basis of Cognition. The study was funded by Kessler Foundation.
Brushing your teeth could prevent heart disease
Taking care of your gums by brushing, flossing, and regular dental visits could help hold heart disease at bay. Researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health have shown for the first time that as gum health improves, progression of atherosclerosis slows to a clinically significant degree. Findings appear online in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Smaller belly, less deli may reduce kidney disease risk, study finds
(HealthDay)—Losing belly fat and limiting processed foods and other sources of dietary phosphorus might help reduce your risk of kidney disease, a new study finds.
Fluoride treatments may help fight cavities
(HealthDay)—Applying prescription-strength fluoride directly to the teeth can benefit patients at increased risk for cavities, a new expert panel concludes.
As clocks turn back on sunday, think about better sleep
(HealthDay)—Don't forget to turn your clock back an hour this weekend, and try some simple tips to get more restful sleep.
Few parents use kids' asthma meds correctly, study finds
(HealthDay)—Most adults who help children take inhaled asthma medications don't know all of the steps involved for their proper use, new research finds.
Etanercept cuts sciatic pain from lumbar disc herniation
(HealthDay)—Compared with placebo, transforaminal injections of etanercept provide relief from leg and back pain in patients with symptomatic lumbar disc herniation (LDH), according to research published in the Nov. 1 issue of Spine.
Acute kidney injury increased for some over last decade
(HealthDay)—Over the last decade there has been an increase in the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI), but a decrease in the incidence of AKI requiring dialysis, among elderly patients hospitalized with a heart attack who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention, according to a study published in the Nov. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
What age should women start mammograms? The two sides of the screening debate
Mammography works: It can detect cancer. On that point, at least, most experts agree.
For some women facing angioplasty, wrist entry may be better, study finds
(HealthDay)—For women at high risk for bleeding during angioplasty, the wrist may be a better entry site than the groin, a new study indicates.
With flu season here, docs offer tips to stay healthy
(HealthDay)—With another flu season fast approaching, those in the know offer ways to guard against infection or deal with the flu if your efforts fail.
Bipolar drugs lose effect during pregnancy, so women need higher doses to stay well
New Northwestern Medicine research offers one of the first in-depth studies of how physiological changes during pregnancy reduce the effects of a commonly used drug to treat bipolar disorder, making women more vulnerable to recurring episodes. The new findings will help psychiatrists and physicians prevent bipolar manic and depressive symptoms during pregnancy, which are risky for the health of the mother and her unborn child.
Neuroscientists determine how treatment for anxiety disorders silences fear neurons
(Medical Xpress)—Excessive fear can develop after a traumatic experience, leading to anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder and phobias. During exposure therapy, an effective and common treatment for anxiety disorders, the patient confronts a fear or memory of a traumatic event in a safe environment, which leads to a gradual loss of fear. A new study in mice, published online today in Neuron, reports that exposure therapy remodels an inhibitory junction in the amygdala, a brain region important for fear in mice and humans. The findings improve our understanding of how exposure therapy suppresses fear responses and may aid in developing more effective treatments. The study, led by researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine and the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at Tufts, was partially funded by a New Innovator Award from the Office of the Director at the National Institutes of Health.
Researchers explore how prior knowledge influences our visual senses
(Medical Xpress)—The perception and processing of color has fascinated neuroscientists for a long time, as our brain influences our perception of it to such a degree that colors could be called an illusion. One mystery was: What happens in the brain when we look at black-and-white photographs? Do our brains fill in the colors?
Children of lower socioeconomic status grow up more susceptible to catching colds, researchers find
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have found an association between lower socioeconomic status during childhood and adolescence and the length of telomeres, protective cap-like protein complexes at the end of chromosomes, that ultimately affects the susceptibility to colds in middle-aged adults.
Gum disease treated by bringing needed immune cells to inflamed tissue
The red, swollen and painful gums and bone destruction of periodontal disease could be effectively treated by beckoning the right kind of immune system cells to the inflamed tissues, according to a new animal study conducted by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh. Their findings, published this week in the early online version of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, offer a new therapeutic paradigm for a condition that afflicts 78 million people in the U.S. alone.
A new model for organ repair: Kidney repair may not require stem cells
Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) researchers have a new model for how the kidney repairs itself, a model that adds to a growing body of evidence that mature cells are far more plastic than had previously been imagined.
Mindful individuals less affected by immediate rewards
A new study from the University of Toronto Scarborough shows that people who are aware of and their own thoughts and emotions are less affected by positive feedback from others.
Study finds a patchwork of genetic variation in the brain
It was once thought that each cell in a person's body possesses the same DNA code and that the particular way the genome is read imparts cell function and defines the individual. For many cell types in our bodies, however, that is an oversimplification. Studies of neuronal genomes published in the past decade have turned up extra or missing chromosomes, or pieces of DNA that can copy and paste themselves throughout the genomes.
Biology news
'Zonkey' baby Ippo draws crowds in Florence
An act of love between Martin the zebra and Giada the donkey in the romantic Italian city of Florence has produced a rare "zonkey" baby that is drawing crowds to an unusual exotic animal shelter.
Tail vaccinations in cats could save lives, researchers find
An alternative to a widely accepted vaccination protocol in cats could literally move the needle for feline cancer treatment, according to University of Florida researchers.
Great plains producers could profit from spring canola crops
Farmers in the semiarid central Great Plains have traditionally used a 2-year, no-till, dryland, winter wheat/fallow cropping system, which stretches scarce soil water supplies and minimizes crop failure from water stress. Now they are interested in growing crops during the fallow period, using water normally lost to evaporation.
Pronghorn warming to safe passages
Scientists with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) observing the fall migration of pronghorn from Grand Teton National Park to the Upper Green River Basin announced that for the second year, the animals have successfully used the newly constructed overpasses that provide safe passage over U.S. Highway 191 in Trapper's Point, Wyoming. More telling, the scientists report that unlike the first year, the pronghorn showed no hesitation in using the overpass and have apparently adapted to the structure.
Automatic location of fishing gear
In the grey light of morning and squally weather a fishing boat stops its engine. The fisherman knows he is outside the baseline and has to notify the Coastguard before setting his nets. He phones the office in Sortland and states his GPS coordinates in order to avoid collision with other boats' fishing gear.
Scientists raise alarm over today's measures against Legionellosis
According to the textbooks, both high doses of chlorine and hot water are lethal to legionella bacteria. But now Norwegian scientists are sounding the alarm that the bacteria can survive these treatments, by hiding in amoebae.
Panama disease spreads among bananas—again
Panama disease is causing significant damage in banana cultivation in Southeast Asia. Together with a number of partners, scientists from Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) have demonstrated that the disease – caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense – has now also migrated to Jordan. This means that Panama disease is becoming increasingly widespread and major banana-producing countries in Africa and Latin America are also under threat. A concerted international approach is needed to safeguard the food security of millions of people. The results of the study were published in the scientific journal Plant Disease.
Comprehensive new map details dynamics of gene activity during embryonic development
Embryonic development involves the tightly coordinated activity of thousands of genes, each switched on at a specific time and place in the growing organism under the control of regulatory DNA sequences called promoters. An international team of researchers including Piero Carninci from the RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies has now produced the first vertebrate 'promoterome', or genome-wide map of how promoter usage changes during development.
GenSeq: Updated nomenclature for genetic sequences to solve taxonomic determination issues
An improved and expanded nomenclature for genetic sequences is introduced that corresponds with a ranking of the reliability of the taxonomic identification of the source specimens. This nomenclature is an advancement of the "Genetypes" naming system, which some have been reluctant to adopt because of the use of the "type" suffix in the terminology. The study was published in the open access journal Zookeys.
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